Steam-condenser.



J. J. GRAF.

STEAM CONDENSER.

, APPLICATION FILED APB..27, 1911.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

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STEAM CONDENSER. APPLICATION FILED 11.27, 1911.

1,018,489. Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ohm/My UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS J. GBAF, or LUDLow, KENTUCKY.

STEAM-CONDENSER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUs J. GRAF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Ludlow, in the county of Ken? ton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Condensers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, refer ence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to steam condensers more particularly for the condensation of steam into pure distilled Water, and especially designed for use in ice plant-s where the ice is manufactured from the water distilled from the exhaust steam. The cooling water for such condensers is in many places exceedingly hard or contains impurities detrimental for use as ice and it is therefore important that there should be no liability of leakage of the cooling water into the condensing chamber.

Condensers constructed on the plan of the ordinary horizontal tubular boiler with headers at the ends and horizontal tubes for the circulation of the cooling water with the space within the boiler surrounding the tubes designed for the reception and condensation of the'steam have long been in use. In such constructions, whether the tubes are employed for the circulation of the cooling water or of the steam to be condensed, the joints of the tubes in the headers have been in the heads or tube sheets of the condensing chamber, and great difiiculty is experienced in keeping these joints tight so that then there shall be no mingling of the hard or impure cooling water with the steam or distilled water.

One object of my invention is to provide a construction in which this danger of any leakage at the header joints shall be greatly reduced, and in which, even should leakage occur, no chance will be afforded for the cooling water to mingle with and to con taminate the distilled water.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the scale and impurities deposited. in the tubes and which accumulate very rapidly in many instances can be readily and easily removed, and what is even more important, without interruption of the work of the condenser so that under continuous operation, a high state of efficiency ,can be maintained indefinitely.

A construction is also provided in which Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 27, 1911.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

Serial No. 623,761.

the capacity of the condenser can be regulated and controlled, and onl such an extent of condensing surface urnished and cooling water supplied as may be requisite for the condensation of the desired volume of distilled Water. At the same time the circulation of the steam over the entire cooling surface is enforced and means are furnished for reboiling the distilled water when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved condenser, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the vertical baflle sheet. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the headers, partly in vertical section. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the horizontal baffle plate and reboiling pan. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of one corner of the horizontal and vertical bafiie-plates. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the lower end of one of the headers. Fig. 9 is a perspective'view of one of the yokes for the header openings.

The casing or shell of the condenser designated by 1, is preferably cylindrical in shape, and provided with heads 2, 3, riveted or otherwise secured to the cylinder to form a steam tight condensing chamber. Extending horizontally through this chamber are the series of tubes 4:, 4, which are expanded air-tight through holes in the cylinder heads and extend some distance, preferably about six inches beyond the heads at each end. Then entirely outside the condensing chamber both ends of the tubes are expanded water-tight into the headers 5, 5, and 6, 6. These headers are preferably rectangular boxes of the proper length to accommodate the series of tubes in the separate vertical rows, one separate and distinct header for each vertical row. Each header is preferably square in cross section, with openings in line, in the front and rear walls of the header to correspond with the number of tubes for the particular vertical row which necessarily vary in number in the preferred cylindrical type of condenser. Each opening is preferably provided with a flange 7 around the openings to strengthen the construction. The tubes are expanded water tight into the rear or inner openings of each A header, and the openings in the front or outer Wall of each header are closed by caps 8. A yoke 9 extends across the opening on the inside bearing with its ends on the shoulder 10, and the cap 8 is preferably provided with a flange 11 to fit within the opening. Each cap 8 is drawn up water tight by the bolt 12 with its head 13 engaged by the yoke and with the nut 14 on the screw threaded projecting end of the bolt.

Each header is provided with a pipe 15 opening through the top and with a cap 8, with yoke 9 and tightened bolt 12 closing an opening through the bottom. These caps 8 at the bottom are provided with a small outlet closed by a plug 19. t

The headers at front and rear are constructed exactly alike. For the front header a horizontal trough 20 common for all the pipes 15 is provided with holes through which the pipes 15 open, so that by plugging up any of the pipes, the openings of the header supplied by the particular pipe plugged are cut off. For the rear headers a series of troughs 21, one for each header, are

provided, with end side removed, so that the water can escape as it overflows each header that may be in use, and these troughs are preferably arranged somewhat lower than the common front trough, so that as long as water is supplied in front it will flow off at the rear. These headers and the horizontal tubes 4, 4, connecting each individual header at front and rear form the passageways for the circulating cooling water.

As each section is entirely independent of every other section, it is very evident that by plugging up any of the pipes 15, the amount of condensing surface and the amount of cooling water supplied can be regulated as desired when it is desired to operate below the capacity of the condenser.

It will also be evident that in order to clean out any of the water tubes that each header, as desired, may be out off and the yokes and caps removed which will provide a clear, uninterrupted opening for cleaning out scale or other impurities and at the same time the condenser can be operatedc'ontinw ously with the other headers without any interruption.

It will also be evident that inasmuch as the tubes 4 project entirely beyond the heads of the condensing-chamber, the joints of the tubes with the headers are not subjected to the action of any steam, and, moreover, in the event of any leakage at these joints, none of the cooling water can become mingled with the steam from which the distilled water is produced. The steam is introduced into the condensing chamber through the opening at 24. i

25 is a vertical baffle plate provided with a peripheral flange 26, by means of which it is riveted to the cylinder casing 1, and this baflie plate is provided with openings 27, through which the tubes pass with a tight fit. The lower portion of this vertical baflie plate 25 is cut away to allow for the passage of the steam into the body of thecondensing chamber.

28 is a pan or horizontal baflie plate which is turned up at its side edges 29, 29, to fit the cylindrical wall of the casing, and this pan is strengthened by the transverse angle bars 30, 31, for the ends, and 32, 32, for intermediate braces. The pan is secured by rivets 33 to the lower edge of the vertical battle plate 25, and spacing sleeves 34. are provided to allow a space between the two baflie plates, and through which space the condensed water which is caught in the pan 25 overflows and passes out of the condenser through the pipe 35.

At the top of the condenser, a steam valve is provided as indicated at 37, which acts as a safety valve in the event of accumulation of steam pressure. A short distance above the pan 28 and near the verti cal baflie plate 25 on each side of the condensing cylinder, two vent openings 38 are provided, one on each side, for the escape of air and other gases which are entrained with the steam and which are heavier than the steam, and thus seek a lower level. The steam is forced by these two baflle plates to pass downwardly and rearwardly underneath the pan and thence into the main body of the condenser, so that a thorough circulation of the steam is enforced around all of the tubes.

In addition to this, as the incoming steam passes underneath the horizontal baffle plate or pan, 'when the amount of condensing surface is regulated by cutting out such headers as may be desired, the incoming steam will reboil the water caught in the pan. This reboiling feature of my construction plays quite an important part in the economy of the apparatus. It is ordinarily necessary where the distilled water is to be used for ice, that the water should be reboiled to drive out any air or other gases in order to obtain pure and clear ice. With my apparatus, however, the pan 28 becomes a re boiling pan, and'it is not necessary to re boil the water, thus saving considerable expense. A manhole 36 is provided for the condensing cylinder at the top, so that,

when desired, access may be had to the condensing chamber.

The caps 8 at the bottom of each of the headers are provided with the small outlet closed by the plug 19, in order that the headers can be drained when desired, without removing the caps, as, for instance, in cold Weather, to prevent freezing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a condenser, a condensing chamber, with a series of tubes in a plurality of rows extending through said chamber, each row provided with a separate header outside the condensing chamber with the headers for each row disconnected from the headers of each other row, whereby the cooling water may be circulated through any desired set of tubes.

2. In a condenser, a condensing chamber, with a series of tubes extending through said chamber, with headers for the tubes, a steam inlet at the upper portion of said condenser, with a vertical bafiie plate near one end of said condensing chamber, and a horizontal bafiie plate extending lengthwise of the condensing chamber to enforce the circulation of steam around all of the tubes.

3. In a condenser, a condensing chamber, with a series of tubes extending through said chamber, with headers for the tubes, a steam inlet atthe upper portion of said condenser, with a vertical baffle plate near one end of said condensing chamber, and a horizontal baffle plate extending lengthwise of the condensing chamber to enforce the circulation of steam around all of the tubes, with said horizontal baffle plate dished to form a shallow receptacle for the condensed steam, with a space intermediate the two baffle plates to allow the collected water to overflow, and an outlet therefor from the condenser.

t. In a condenser, a condensing chamber, with a series of tubes in a plurality of rows extending through said chamber, each row provided with a separate header outside the condensing chamber, a steam inlet at the upper portion of said condenser, with a vertical baffle plate near one end of said condensing chamber, and a horizontal baflie plate extending lengthwise of the condensing chamber to enforce the circulation of steam around all of the tubes.

5. In a condenser, a condensing chamber, with a series of tubes in a plurality of rows extending through said chamber, each row provided with a separate header outside the condensing chamber, a steam inlet at the upper; portion of said condenser, with. a vertical baffle plate near one end of said condensing chamber, and a horizontal baffle plate extending lengthwise of the con- :densing chamber to enforce the circulation of steam around all of the tubes, with said horizontal baffle plate dished to form a shallow receptacle for the condensed steam, with a space intermediate the two baflle plates to allow the collected water to overfiow, and an outlet therefor from the condenser.

JULIUS J. GRAF.

Attest:

EARL W. GRIFFIN, K. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

